I have been sewing, honest! I know I’ve been quiet but with the heatwave we’re having at the moment and Wimbledon proving to be quite a distraction it’s taken me quite a lot longer than I thought it would to complete the skirt and top combo I started a couple of weeks ago.
I started with the McCalls 7292 view B top and went for quite a thick red cotton that I had in my stash. The top was quite simple to make but did come out a little bit bigger than I would have liked. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve lost weight recently or if I should have allowed some ease on the pattern. I have used this pattern before (view C) and it has fit me like a glove so I’m not entirely sure why it was different this time around.
I decided once it was finished to embroider a flower on one of the shoulders to make it a bit more interesting and it came out quite nicely. The patterns are ones that were handed to me from my Nana, now her eyesight isn’t too good she can’t do much needlework.
I started on the skirt from Simplicity 2654 view 3, a full circle skirt. I used quite a thin black cotton and it was simple from start to finish (apart from taking ages to cut out as I was watching the men’s final and getting very excited about Murray!)
I did embroider the bottom with the larger flower pattern, hoping that it would lift the skirt a bit as it looks very black. The red against the black didn’t make it pop as much as I thought it would. I know that might sound a bit silly but I did think after maybe I should have put some red ric rac on the bottom of it, then again it might have made it look a little cartoon-y and this is, really, a top and skirt for work so it doesn’t have to be too colourful.
The finished top and skirt:
What do you think? Should I have have stitched some ric rac on the bottom rather than the embroidery? Any advice would be appreciated.
I’m not sure if it’s just because the last thing I made was so colourful compared to this it seems a little boring!
Stacey Stitch 
I prefer the embroidery to adding ricrac and wonder if it is a problem of scale? Would the embroidery work better as a larger piece of work. At the moment it is lost in the folds of the skirt.
I was thinking the same thing, maybe if I made it much bigger it would work better….I might have a think and see if I can extend the pattern. Thanks for the feedback 🙂
I had another thought 🙂 The embroidery is running stitch – as well as increasing the size of the transfer you could work the pattern on the skirt in narrow red silk ribbon. It would give more definition
Visiting from WeSewRetro. Love your outfit! Red and black always look awesome together! And your embroidery is incredible and beautiful. I do agree that it seems to get lost with the size of the skirt. What about repeating the embroidery evenly around? I’m personally not a rick-rack fan, so I’ll never suggest that! 🙂
And how did you get your hair up? I love it too!
Thanks Miranda, I’m not sure if the pattern will repeat well because of the angle of it, I am going to see what other flower designs I have though and make it a lot bigger I think, thanks for the advice 🙂
oh and re my hair….a lot of backcombing, til I look like a crazy person! 😉
I don’t think the ric tac would have been s win. The embroidery is lovely & like you say its a point of interest on a work skirt x
Thanks colette 🙂
Saw you on Sew Retro. I really love this outfit. It looks like something Sofia Loren would wear. I wouldn’t change a thing.
Thanks so much Anna, that’s a lovely thing to say! 🙂
you dont talk about making muslins or lining your clothing, do you not do all of that?
Hi shanna, i do sometimes but not often as i go with the wearable muslin type of dress normally (plain cottons) but i did write about the bodice muslin in my vegas dress posts if you read them.
as far as lining goes i don’t often line my itemd mainly because i wear vintage slips under my dresses and i dont see it as something which needs to be done in all cases, i own a lot of vintage dresses that arent lined and my Nana/Step-Mum never lined their home sewn clothes.
lining is something i plan working on in 2015 though, im still learning as i go so if you have any advice or links I’d love to have them 🙂